The national women’s football team was drawn together with defending champion and host Vietnam in Group A of next month’s Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi.
Its bid for at least a podium finish will also see the ladies take on Cambodia and Indonesia in the tournament which starts May 9, three days before the formal opening of the pandemic-delayed biennial meet.
Expectations are high after the Philippines secured a historic World Cup berth by making the semifinals of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in India.
Coach Alen Stajcic has set up camp in Sydney, Australia with the team scheduled to play two friendly matches against Fiji on April 7 and 11 before heading to the Vietnamese capital for the Games.
Olivia McDaniel, Tahnai Annis, Katrina Guillou, Quinley Quezada, Dominique Randle are among the prominent players currently part of the Sydney camp.
The top two teams in the group advance to the semis where they’ll join their counterparts from Group B composed of Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and Singapore.
The groupings were determined Wednesday, April 6 in a draw ceremony, with the Philippines and Myanmar placed in Pot 2.
Meanwhile, the men’s U-23 team will likewise face Vietnam in Group A alongside Indonesia, Myanmar and Timor-Leste.
Action starts on May 6 with the Young Azkals aiming to also claim a top two finish in group to reach the semis.